In California with Kristi

After a week off to play catch up at work, plan Shanna’s wedding, and take our family photo, I’m back on the Workshop of a Lifetime road again! We’re in California this week; two demonstrators earned a Workshop of a Lifetime here.

We had Kristi Jensen’s workshop last night, and once again, I was reminded how much I enjoy people! While we all love great products and stamping and creativity, it’s really the people who are at the heart of what we do—Kristi’s guests were friendly and fun! It was delightful to chat with them and get to know them better.

And that goes for Kristi too! This is the second time that I’ve done a workshop with a demonstrator who has two adorable children and is pregnant with her third (Kristi is due in August). Kristi is in a transition stage; she’s built a great business in California, but her husband recently got a job in Utah (my neck of the woods!), and they will be moving up there this summer.

Kristi’s husband is actually already in Utah working. He does fly down some weekends, and this weekend he took an extra day off so he could be there for the workshop—I was touched by that show of support! The Jensens are building a home in Utah, so until it’s done, Kristi and the kids are living with her parents, who graciously let us invade their home for the evening.

This is the first workshop where Sterling has accompanied me instead of Sara. While I greeted guests and chatted with people before the workshop, he was in charge of the first Make & Take, and I was impressed! He did such a great job, I might even let him back into the stamp studio at home! (smile) And Kristi told me later that several of her guests commented on how much they enjoyed seeing him there, supporting me and talking about what Stampin’ Up! has meant in his life.

Everyone seemed to like the projects—we focused on Sale-A-Bration products, since we’re nearing the end of our most popular promotion. I was disappointed that we didn’t get a booking; my goal is to get at least two bookings from every workshop. But this is real life, and we don’t always get what we want (darn!). Hopefully we planted some seeds, though. . .  She did have a new customer who said, “When’s your next event? Sign me up!” —maybe she’ll decide to book an event herself.

More tomorrow about tonight's workshop!

Gardner Family Photo--2010

Whew! Another family picture day come and gone.

Every year we shoot a family photo for the upcoming catalog, and as some of the kids have moved farther away, it’s become more complicated—we have to set the date months in advance to make sure everyone can make it. This year we worked it around Jon’s spring break, so the Browns have been in town for the whole week.

And as our numbers have grown, it’s become quite a production as well. The photographers who shoot the cover of the Idea Book & Catalog also shoot the family photo, so we go to their studio in Salt Lake City. They’ve been working on the set for weeks, and we (mostly Shalae) have been working on our wardrobe. Everyone gets a new shirt or blouse, and they bring their own jeans, pants, or skirts. 

The women without children (just me and Shanna this year) head to the studio first for make-up, with everyone else scheduled at different times. Those with the youngest children arrive last, for obvious reasons. All the girls get make-up, and everyone (men and children too) get powdered.

Our focus is, of course, keeping the kids entertained and happy while we’re getting ready. Grandpa brings a supply of mints (small and white, so they don’t stain clothes), healthy snacks abound, handheld electronics are welcome, and a play-zone is stocked with all the kid-friendly props from the studio gathered in one place to keep little hands occupied.

Once make-up and powder is applied, the grown-ups and older grandchildren get in their places. Lights are adjusted, props are moved, and people are arranged. We absolutely couldn’t do it without the behind-the-scenes professionals—they’re incredible!

 At the last possible minute, we place the younger children. This year Phoebe (age 1) and Stella (age 2) were little stinkers (the rest of the kids were fabulous!), but we still managed to shoot plenty of photos in about 20 minutes. 

People sometimes ask me how we got everyone to look so great in one shot, and here’s our secret—we don’t! PhotoShop is our best friend! We pick the one shot that has the most number of people looking good, and then we steal head shots from other photos and PhotoShop them in. And you thought we just had kids who were darling all the time, huh?

After it’s all over, we head back to Grandma and Grandpa’s (we order lunch and pick it up on the way home), eat, and then everyone (sometimes even adults) go home for a well-deserved nap!

It takes a lot of effort, but as I look back at the family photos we’ve taken through the years, it’s worth every minute! I’m so grateful for the wonderful memories and tangible history we have of the Gardner family. I think Sidney captured my feelings best: “I love family picture days,” she said several times, “because we’re all together as a family!”

Happy Birthday, Shanna!

Tonight was a night of memorable firsts—the first night all the Gardner grown-ups have been together since before Shanna’s mission and the first night we’ve all been together with Jared, the newest Gardner-to-be. (Or is Shanna a Bridegan-to-be? Both, I guess. . . . )

It was a great birthday celebration (Shanna’s real birthday was yesterday, but we celebrated tonight). Shanna chose the restaurant—Tsunami, a Japanese sushi restaurant. Those of us who like sushi all ordered different rolls, and then we shared. (Those who aren’t sushi lovers ordered the chicken.)

We pooled our resources and gave Shanna a birthday gift of cash, which is much-appreciated as she heads into this new phase of her life. And we had a wonderful night of conversation and getting to know each other.

I wondered if all 12 of us on one long table might be too many to have meaningful conversations, but we had some great large-group talks, and smaller chats as well. I’m hoping we didn’t overwhelm Jared too much, but he seemed to take it all in stride. We’re all looking forward to getting to know him better, and we hope he’s looking forward to getting to know us better! (smile)

Happy birthday, Shanna—we love you!

Announcement Photos--Check

  

Shanna and Jared had their announcement  photos taken yesterday. With Jon behind the camera, there were lots of fun shots to choose from!  (He and Shalae and the kids are in town for the family photo shoot for the catalog on Saturday, so it was perfect timing!)

Sean, who designed the announcement  (to die for!) helped out during the shoot; they went out to the Great Salt Lake. And now they (Jon and Sean) are working to prepare the print pieces  to go to the printers first thing.

Of course, because of the short notice (Shanna and Jared are getting married on April 10, LESS THAN A MONTH AWAY. . . BUT WE’RE NOT STRESSED OR ANYTHING!), the announcements won’t be hand-stamped at all. (Does it count that they’re being printed on our Elegant Eggplant card stock?) We just didn’t have time.

The bridal shower invitations and favors WILL be hand-stamped though; I’ll post them when we finish them.

And I’ll post a finished announcement as well, when they are hot off the press next week.

  In the meantime, here are a few of the photos Shanna and Jared didn’t choose for the announcements.

It’s very exciting to see my youngest and last daughter prepare for this singularly important event in her life. I’m sure I’ll get sentimental at some point, but there’s no time for that right now. . . .we’ve got way too many things on our list to check off!

A Gung-Ho Esther

 

With luggage securely in hand, we headed to Toronto yesterday, and our last Canadian Workshop of a Lifetime for quite awhile. (We have one more to do in the Great White North, but it will be later because Tamye wasn’t available these past two weeks.)

This workshop was with Esther Moore, a sweetheart of a demonstrator. Anyone who is pregnant with her third child and her oldest is three deserves a medal! She is due in five or six weeks, and was darling with her two little boys. You can tell she’s a great mother!

And she’s a great demonstrator as well! She’s new (just signed up in October) and is gung ho. Believe it or not, she has a few more events scheduled between now and the birth of her baby! She got another booking last night at the workshop as well, although I’m not sure when she’ll schedule that one.

The workshop went well. Esther took seriously the challenge to have at least half of the guests be completely new to Stampin’ Up!, and so more than half of her guests she met last night for the first time. (We love when that happens, don’t we? That’s truly the magic of a workshop at work!) 

The guests seemed to like the projects; they liked it even more when I messed up. (smile) They laughed when I put the Happy Birthday card through the Big Shot without stamping it first, and they also found it amusing when I forgot to put the brad and grommet on before I started layering on the demonstration project. I asked them if they thought I was perfect, and they said “yes.” They know better now! I don’t think I’ve ever demonstrated anything anywhere without goofing up, but that just helps reassure people that anyone can do this; you certainly don’t have to be perfect! 

Esther’s guests also really liked the stenciling, which I was happy about (since it’s one of my favorite techniques). They didn’t realize how easy it was, and they loved the look it creates.

And I have to mention the custom-made Stampin’ Up! cupcakes—handmade by a friend. Esther gave her some DSP, and she went to town. Aren’t they beautiful? Almost too lovely to eat. . . . but not quite!

After the workshop, we rushed off to dinner with a small group of Esther’s demonstrator friends (upline, sideline, etc.). We were late (nobody seemed to want to leave the workshop, which is always a good sign!), but thoroughly enjoyed dinner and the conversation as well! (And thanks, ladies, for the tip about getting to the airport early! We would have never made our flight if you hadn’t warned us that it was one of the busiest travel days of the year in Canada and to get there at least three hours early.)